I didn’t think my inspiration for Rosh Hashanah would come from my boss in the hospital, in a room full of fresh new medical doctors.
I had just started my residency in a busy New York hospital and I didn't bank on having much time for spiritual growth and improvement. But it seems God sends us the inspiration we need, no matter where we are or what we are doing.
On a regular Thursday afternoon I took my seat among a room full of my resident colleagues and waited for Dr. Thompson to arrive for our weekly meeting. Dr. Thompson, an experienced and wise physician, is in charge of our residency program and he meets with us periodically to touch base and discuss our progress as new physicians.
On this particular Thursday afternoon, just a few days before Rosh Hashanah, it was clear that Dr. Thompson had a specific agenda to discuss.
“I’d like to discuss goals,” he began. “You have all graduated from medical school. You have all spent countless years studying, taking tests and excelling academically. However you are now at a new stage of your training. You are now practicing as physicians. No one will be on top of you to ensure that you keep studying and to keep improving. No one will call you aside and chastise you for mediocre performance. I know this is new for you, and that’s why I feel the need to point it out.”
He paused for a moment and looked around the room. We were all silent.
“The only way you will continue to grow in your professions is if you set goals for yourself. No one else can do this for you, and no one will really know or care whether you set goals or not. But at the end of the day, if you want to be the best you can be, you will need to be self-driven and you will need to do this.”
Some in the room shifted uncomfortably. “Besides needing to be self-driven, there is another issue with goal-setting at this stage of your careers. In medical school, there was an objective, measurable way to know how you were doing – your test grades. Your goals may have been ‘get an A in microbiology’, or ‘pass this upcoming anatomy test’. Those are good goals, and there is a simple way to keep track of whether or not you have been meeting those goals: simply look at the grade that you’ve received. But this stage in your life is different. Things are not as clear cut.
“Many of you may have some vague goal in your mind, perhaps something like ‘I would like to be a perfect doctor’. That is a nice goal but what's wrong with it?”
The room was silent. Some looked down to avoid being called upon. Finally someone shyly answered, “That goal is too vague.” Another said, “It's unattainable.” Someone else shared, “it is impossible to know when you’ve accomplished it.”
Dr. Thompson nodded and then continued. “Exactly. All those points are correct. We need guidelines to ensure that the goals we are setting actually make sense. We need to set SMART goals.”
Dr. Thompson shared with us a deep, yet simple, structure for goal setting that applies to all goals in life:
Specific: In order for a goal to be appropriate and attainable, it should not be vague.
Measurable: Goals must be objectively measurable. A famous painter was one asked how he knows when he is done adding strokes to his paintings. “When I am done, I just know,” he replied. This is not the way to set personal goals. Goals should be objectively measurable by an onlooker, and should not simply be an inner feeling of “being done”.
Accountable: People spend thousands of dollars to hire personal trainers and diet coaches. The bulk of the benefit from such coaches comes from the accountability to another person. People all have biases and if we are not held accountable by others, we will inevitably bend the truth or simply forget to follow up on the goals we have set. When setting a goal, involve someone else. Tell them about your goal, include them in it if possible, and make it clear that you want them to follow up with you.
Realistic: Goals that are set too high will leave us feeling dejected when we are not able to actualize them. Goals set too low will not help us grow. The only way to really find that perfect balance is through trial and error.
Time-line: When setting a goal, tell yourself you will try it for a specific amount of time. This gives one the ability to re-assess periodically and then to re-assign goals.
Dr. Thompson did not plan on giving a Rosh Hashanah sermon. But God can send us messages that we need to hear through any avenue, even the most unexpected. We just need to have our eyes and ears open to make sure we pick up on it.
(9) DANIEL EZEKIEL, September 28, 2019 5:14 AM
Lol
Hard to believe that as a resident you've never heard of using SMART metrics. We teach that to first year med students.
(8) Nancy, September 27, 2019 11:25 AM
Re: My personal goal for this year
Awhile back I had achieved a certain goal. Unfortunately I had a setback. The goal I achieved was to refrain from watching TV on Shabbos. For a period of time I was able to keep the TV off for 25 hours. During this year I want my TV free Shabbos to become automatic. Therefore, I am asking all of you to please daven for me to once again achieve this goal. I will of course daven for any of you upon request. Thank you and Shana tova.
(7) ross, September 25, 2019 7:54 PM
Keep a Journal!
Since you're a good writer too, it's really important to keep a journal handy to jot down notes of interesting or unusual happenings in your career, starting NOW. Don't rely on your memory later...one day you'll have tons of amazing stories for a book, and you'll inspire so many. They'll wait for your next book. Really take this seriously...you'll grow from it as well. Much hatzlacha and bracha!
Dr. Ari, September 26, 2019 3:07 AM
Ross,
Thank you for your kind words and for the advice. I have thought about your idea that idea many times (of keeping a journal of interesting happenings throughout my career) and hope to implement it.
All the best
(6) Anonymous, September 25, 2019 12:24 PM
Rabbi Rose online prayer ??
I am truly grateful for this blessed opportunity
(5) Margarita, September 24, 2019 8:56 PM
Thank you for the article. it's a great advice. often it's important to look back and see how you would react if your nearest & dearest set the goal and achieve (or fail) it on the way. it would help with soul search as well as provide extra motivation.
(4) Yossel from TO, September 23, 2019 12:03 AM
Rabbi Dr. Ari
Now I know how you accomplished so much! We are all inspired by your achievements.
(3) Rachel, September 22, 2019 11:44 PM
Art is not measurable in the same way as science
I am sorry to see the critical mention of an artist’s sense of when a painting is finished. A true artist works first and foreman for the individual sense of accomplishment. For the real artist ( and I am using the word to include music, writing, performance as well as visual arts), success is measured by what the artist learns in creating the work. In that sense, art is a good analogy for our religious practice. I can attend shul for all services, keep strictly kosher, keep Shabbat to the letter of the law— but I may also not be making the necessary connection and effort, and I will know that only by how I feel about my relationship with G-d. In that regard, what others see is less reliable than my feelings, just as the great painter will know when the painting is finished. Of course, I am not talking about financial nor critical success, but the great artists are often great in spite of financial success or failure.
Anonymous, September 23, 2019 3:58 AM
I happen to have been in the same class as Dr Ari Grubner in Eitz Chaim Elementary School. Not only is he a dr, he happens to be an amazing artist as well! Just throwing it out there! I witnessed the pictures he drew in class!
(2) Anonymous, September 22, 2019 11:00 PM
Re: SMART goals
As far as I am concerned, setting SMART goals is the only way to fly.
(1) Alan S., September 22, 2019 10:54 PM
"Smart" is smart, but...
Medicine is truly an art. Certainly there is 'measurable' science behind it. But when you deal with people, and not machines, insurance companies and 'bottom lines', a smart resolution will include 'doing the best you can' goals.
All this said, this is an excellent article by Dr. Grubner. Yasher Koach. Please continue to contribute frequently to Aish.com